Ferret
by spyrosm
Summary: A seemingly boring day in Draco Malfoy's life... Many thanks to the wonderful artful scribbler who offered to beta my little story. Dedicated to my wife annapsarudaki.


"Ferret, prepare for a night-shift tonight."

Draco lifted his head from the reports he was preparing and saw Ron Weasley speaking to him. He gave him a sharp look. "I told you not to call me a ferret," he said. "It's not funny. What is this night-shift you're talking about? It's not my turn today."

"An emergency. That's what the big bosses said."

"What happened this time?"

"Harry has to leave for Cornwall immediately and I have to find someone to cover his night-shift."

"And you found me? Sorry, I can't do it tonight. "

"Why?"

"I haven't seen my wife for two weeks. She just returned home today, and I want to be with her."

"There's no other option; you're the only one. Besides, Hermione will understand the situation. "

"What _you_ cannot understand Weasley… I _want_ to see my wife. Isn't it bad enough that you send her on a two-week trip away? Do you need to encumber me with an extra night-shift on top?"

"Hermione is not under my authority, you know that she belongs in another section."

"I don't care. She left on Ministry business. You want me to stay here all night for Ministry business as well. I'm not doing it. Find someone else to cover you."

"There _is_ no one else. Better let Hermione know that you won't be coming home tonight. "

"Weasley, I will..."

"Yes, I know you will tell your father, but he cannot change anything."

"This is the last time, Weasley," Draco muttered angrily. "The next time I formally complain to the Minister himself."

"Do whatever you want."

With these words, Ron left Draco's office. Feeling defeated, Draco prepared two letters and sent them by owl. The first letter was for Hermione, explaining why he would not be coming home that day. The second letter was for his father. He had no special reason to do so, but from his childhood when he felt he was suffering an injustice, he always spoke to his father. _"My father will hear about this,"_ was his favorite phrase since he was in Hogwarts, and that had not changed. Of course, he knew that Lucius had no substantial influence on the Ministry after the war, but old habits die hard.

He began to deal with his duties, wondering for the thousandth time why he had decided to become an Auror. Of course, he knew the answer. From the moment he admitted to himself that, through all these years, he was secretly in love with Hermione Granger, becoming an Auror was the only way to conquer her. He knew that he had to do something drastic, since in the war he had been on the wrong side. So, surprising everyone, including himself, he applied to join the Auror department.

This decision came to fruition soon. Hermione broke up with Ron after a brief period and started talking to him. She seemed to appreciate the fact that Draco, instead of living as a rich heir, decided to get a job like every common wizard. Soon afterwards they became a couple and married. The only drawback of this relationship was that Ron, who apparently had never got over Hermione, targeted him at work. The fact that Ron was Draco's supervisor gave him the ability to harass him at every opportunity.

After finishing his paperwork, Draco noticed that he had received a reply to both letters he had sent earlier.

Hermione had written to tell him not to be sad and that he needed to prioritise his job above all else. Besides, she was too tired from traveling and would go to sleep early.

"The classic workaholic Hermione," Draco thought. The answer from his father was tougher. He just told him to stop bothering him with such details and grow up.

After he finished with all his pendants, Draco looked at his watch. Since he had a little time before the start of the night-shift, he decided to dine at the Ministry's restaurant. Clearly, his plans for that day did not include sandwiches and coffee.

After eating his food, he saw Harry Potter, sitting at a side table, signalling him to come over. The strange thing was that he and Harry were almost friends, unlike Ron, who remained disillusioned. Of course, Draco had "stolen" Ron's girlfriend and not Harry's.

"Good evening," said Draco to Harry, as he joined him at his table. "I see you're still here."

"Where should I be?" said Harry. "Why are _you_ still here? Wasn't Hermione due to return today?"

"Ron told me you had an emergency call-out to Cornwall. Why haven't you left yet?"

Harry looked blankly at Draco. "Where did they call me?"

Draco frowned. "So you don't have to leave for a trip?"

"No, I just got back from an outside mission two days ago. I won't have another one for at least another month."

"But Ron told me..."

"He pranked you. Did he ask you to take over my night-shift? "

"Yes."

Harry shook his head. "Go home to your wife, Draco. I am here, and I'm not going anywhere."

"I swear, if I get my hands on that red-haired liar, I will ..."

"Calm down, calm down. By the way, don't come in to work tomorrow. I'll arrange for you to have an extra day off. Stay home and relax."

Draco clapped Harry on the back. "Thank you, my friend. Then I better get going. See you."

So, Draco returned to the apartment that he had with Hermione. His first thought was to send her a message, but it seemed better to surprise his wife.

A few minutes later he arrived home through the Floo. But as soon as he stepped out of the fireplace, he immediately felt that something was wrong. The house was absolutely silent. He supposed Hermione had been so tired from her two weeks travelling that she had gone straight to sleep.

But then he noticed that there were two half-empty glasses of fire whiskey on the living room table.

Although something told him to turn back and leave, Draco ran straight up to their bedroom. Instead of the absolute darkness he expected, he saw light shining beneath the crack of the door.

Without thinking, he slammed the door open. The spectacle which met his eyes was certainly not what he expected.

Hermione was lying naked on the bed, an expression of absolute ecstasy on her face. A male figure was under the covers, bent over between Hermione's legs.

"What is going on here?!" Draco screamed with all the power of his lungs.

"Did you…return my love?" Hermione mumbled, panting with pleasure. "It's not…what you…think."

Draco shrieked and almost automatically, with a voice from the past, he bellowed, "My father will hear about this!"

Then the figure beneath the covers emerged and turned to Draco with a complacent smirk, shaking his long blond hair behind his shoulders. "Your dad already knows," he said.


End file.
